اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ - (هنا تسمي أمر الصداقة) - خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - (أو قال: عاجله وآجله) - فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي، وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي، ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ. وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعِيشَتِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي - (أو قال: عاجله وآجله) - فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي، وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ، وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ، ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِهِ.
O Allah, I seek Your guidance with Your knowledge, and I seek ability with Your power, and I ask of Your great bounty. For indeed, You have power, and I have no power; You have knowledge, and I have no knowledge; and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter - (mention the matter of friendship here) - is good for me in my religion, my worldly life, and my Hereafter - (or he said: in my present and my future) - then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion, my worldly life, and my Hereafter - (or he said: in my present and my future) - then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it, and ordain for me that which is good wherever it may be, and make me content with it.
Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi'ilmika, wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika, wa as'aluka min fadlikal-azeem. Fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdiru, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lamu, wa anta 'allamul-ghuyoub. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra - (mention the matter of friendship here) - khayrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - (or he said: 'aajilihi wa aajilihi) - faqdirhu li, wa yassirhu li, thumma barik li feeh. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra sharrun li fi deeni wa ma'eeshati wa 'aaqibati amri - (or he said: 'aajilihi wa aajilihi) - fasrifhu 'anni, wasrifni 'anhu, waqdir li-l-khaira haithu kaana, thumma radhdhini bih.
When to Read
This dua is specifically for seeking Allah's guidance when you're facing a decision that feels significant, and you're unsure which path to take. In this case, it's for discerning whether to pursue or accept a new friendship that could have a considerable impact on your life. You would ideally perform the prayer of Istikhara (which includes this dua) after performing two rak'ahs of voluntary prayer, preferably when you're in a state of Wudu and have a clear mind, away from distractions.
How to Read
Perform two rak'ahs of Salah (prayer) outside of the obligatory prayers. You can recite any Surah you wish after Surah Al-Fatihah in both rak'ahs. After completing the prayer, raise your hands and recite this dua, sincerely asking Allah for guidance. It's crucial to have a clear intention about the specific friendship you're seeking guidance on. Place your hand on your chest and say: 'Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra...' and then explicitly state your intention regarding the friendship. For example: 'Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna **hadhihi-s-sadaaqah** khayrun li...' (O Allah, if You know that **this friendship** is good for me...). After reciting the dua, reflect on your feelings and any signs Allah may show you. Often, the outcome becomes clearer through a sense of peace or unease about the decision, or through dreams.
Virtues & Benefits
The Istikhara prayer is a beautiful way to involve Allah in our decision-making, recognizing that His knowledge and wisdom are infinite. By performing Istikhara, you are entrusting your affairs to Allah, seeking the best for yourself in this life and the next. It brings immense peace of mind, as you know you've done all you can to seek divine guidance. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught this prayer so that we wouldn't feel lost or overwhelmed when faced with choices, big or small. It's a direct connection to the One who knows what is truly best for us, even when we cannot see it ourselves.
Source & Authentication
Jabir bin 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to teach us the Istikhara in all matters as he taught us the Surahs of the Quran. He said: 'If anyone of you is concerned about a matter, he should pray two rak'ahs of non-obligatory prayer and then say: 'Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi 'ilmika, wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika, wa as'aluka min fadlikal-azīm. Fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdiru, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lamu, wa anta 'allamul-ghuyūb. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra [then mention the specific matter] khayrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri [or: 'ajilihi wa 'ajilihi] fa-qdurhu li wa yassirhu li thumma barik li fīh. Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadhal-amra sharrun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa 'aqibati amri [or: 'ajilihi wa 'ajilihi] fasrifhu 'anni wasrifni 'anhu wa-qdur li-l-khaira haithu kana thumma radhini bih.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 6166 - Note: The provided number 1166 is also commonly cited for this hadith, often referring to a specific wording or context within Bukhari's compilation. Both are generally accepted references for the Istikhara prayer.)